Danielle POV
Even now, when I can’t be near him, he glances over sometimes, and our eyes lock for a second longer than they should. It’s subtle, but it’s enough to make my chest ache.
I want to walk across the room and sit next to him. I want to rest my hand on his knee, feel his fingers slide against my thigh under the table like they used to. I want his attention on me, his voice in my ear, his mouth on my skin.
But I can’t have any of that right now. So I stay put.
“Can I ask you something?” I say, turning back to Hectic.
“You can ask me anything.”
“How long do these trials usually last?” I swirl the drink in my glass.
“A week,” he says. “Sometimes longer if Echo’s in a mood, but usually a week.”
“Do the women go through the same thing?”
He laughs like I just told a joke. “Red,
